


Friends in Low Places

by Desolate_Smog



Series: small fics for the soul (writer's month 2020) [20]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Languages, M/M, Multilingual Anxiety | Virgil Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:28:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26173489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desolate_Smog/pseuds/Desolate_Smog
Summary: America is very different. Remus proves this point on Virgil's first day of school.Writer's Month 2020, Day 29 - high school au
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders
Series: small fics for the soul (writer's month 2020) [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859371
Comments: 34
Kudos: 142
Collections: Writer's Month 2020





	Friends in Low Places

English was the bane of Virgil's existence. Nouns, adverbs, articles, prepositions, not to mention spelling, or _pronunciation_. Virgil pouted at his work, willing it to be something less horrible. He already knew 3 whole languages. What did he need to learn another one for? Disgusting. That's what it was.

The work was something that Papa had put together, something about making it easier for his new school to see where he was at. It sounded like work he didn't have to do.

«weak» Dee wrote.

«you've been speaking english for ages though» Virgil complained. «it's easy for you now, you've already been converted»

«conartistry has never been so easy, think of all the loopholes»

«I don't need english.» Virgil wrote, ignoring Dee's illicit activities. «I have three other languages.»

«but how will you destroy a person without being able to speak their language?»

«I will growl at them in russian. it'll be scary.»

«a sweet thing like you? scary?» Dee wrote, following the words with a heart.

Virgil blushed, but ignored it. «I'm terrifying»

«I suppose if you find cats terrifying»

«youre the worst and I hate you»

«I've been waiting for the day we could finally say our feelings were mutual» Dee said with another heart. Virgil snorted, which was a mistake because it alerted Papa to the fact that he wasn't studying.

“Have you finished your work, mijo?”

“Uhhh...”

Papa sighed. “Virgil.”

Virgil flopped backwards bonelessly, pouting at his papa upside down. “It's not even actual school work though.”

“Any English study you do will only help you, mijo. You know this,”

Virgil groaned and righted himself, staring despondently at his work. “I know.”

“I'll bring you some chocolate.” Papa said as he left the room.

“Thank you, Papa,”

Virgil turned to his leg. «english study strikes again. talk to you later»

«tell your papa he's a saint»

«only every day»

——

The school stood before him, giant and intimidating. Dad had dropped him off on his way to work, and Papa had an interview that he couldn't reschedule. Virgil had to fight this battle on his own.

There were other people milling around, laughing, chatting. Virgil couldn't help but scan them for their clothing choices, very unused to the concept of there being no uniform. The fact that he now had to make clothing decisions was another deadly mark against America and everything it stood for.

He looked at his map, thankful that his dad had written directions to the office in Japanese. He hesitated another moment to breathe. Once his breathing was settled, he made his way into the school, dodging around groups and feeling overwhelmed by the indecipherable noise.

He followed the map religiously, trying to ignore the way it felt like everyone was looking at him.

The office was relatively empty. There were two ladies behind the desk, one typing on a computer and the other bustling around a photocopier.

“Uhh...” Virgil said. He cleared his throat and tried to use the little English he knew. “Hello?”

“Oh,” The lady at the photocopier said. She said something else (a greeting?) and then stared at Virgil expectantly.

Virgil made a noise of hesitation and tried to say the English sentence he wouldn't admit he practiced. “Hello. My name is It—Virgil Ito. I'm a transfer.”

_Way to stumble on your name, idiot._

“Ah!” The lady said. She turned to the other lady and they had a short conversation, both looking at him sporadically.

“One moment,” the lady said in Spanish. Virgil hoped they didn't all have accents like that.

“No, no,” the lady said in English. She pointed at Virgil and then one of the chairs lining the walls. She changed back to Spanish to say “one moment” again.

Virgil hesitantly walked over to the chairs and sat down. Not for the first time, he wondered why people would ever subject themselves to moving to a country where they spoke a different language.

Virgil sat in the chair and picked at his cuticles as he waited for whatever it was that the ladies needed. Parents, teachers, and students alike came and went from the office. Some looked at him with curiosity, but Virgil preferred those who ignored him entirely.

A bell rang, and Virgil wondered if he'd be on that seat all day.

The ladies were having a loud discussion about him, and he could tell from the way they kept looking over and occasionally slightly gesturing to him. They didn't look happy.

Before Virgil could worry about being expelled before he started, someone his age stepped into the room and shouted something in English at the ladies. The kid was a mess; baggy pants, paint-stained t-shirt, grey streak in his hair, and untied combat boots.

The ladies hushed him and talked to him using disappointed voices. Then they pointed at Virgil.

“Well, hello there!” The kid said in strangely accented Spanish. “Looks like you're stuck with me for the next week or so. I hope you like blood!”

Virgil didn't know what to do with what was before him.

“You're um. My guide?” Virgil asked.

“Oh, wow, your accent is weird!” the guy walked closer and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I'm the only Spanish-speaker in the school at the moment, luckily for you. The rest of them all went with the Spanish teacher on this excursion, but I had to stay behind for in-school suspension. Thank god that's over.”

Virgil wanted to go back to Japan.

“The ladies said you're Virgil. That's a cool name! It's like vigil and like virge!” The guy said. He leaned back and pulled a hand out of his pocket to hide his face from the office ladies and to whisper, “That means penis in French.”

“Uh. Great? How do you even know that?”

One of the ladies walked over then, saying something harshly to the kid. The guy waved his hand and said something back dismissively.

“C'mon, Virge! You're my shadow today. You're already dressed up for it and everything!”

Virgil awkwardly tugged at his clothes. Guess he'd failed the dress-test.

He gathered his things and nodded at the office ladies.

——

“Wait! Wait, do you even know who I am?” The guy asked as they walked down empty halls. He had been explaining classes, badmouthing teachers, and generally being kind of strange before he cut himself off to ask the question.

“No.”

“Why didn't you say _anything_?”

“And where was I supposed to ask amongst all your talking?” Virgil sassed. He regretted it instantly, but the guy cackled.

“I'm Remus!” He held a hand out for Virgil and Virgil took it. Remus shook it side to side instead of up and down, released his hand to bat the back of his hand against Virgil's, then the front. Remus curled his hand into a fist, so Virgil mimicked him. Remus hit Virgil's knuckles with his and grinned at Virgil.

Virgil hit Remus' knuckles back.

“We're best friends now.” Remus said solemnly.

Virgil couldn't remember if Dee had to deal with any of this when he moved to an English-speaking country.

“I don't think that's how it works.” Virgil said, but he wasn't entirely sure, and Remus sensed the weakness like a spider sensing its prey.

“That's exactly how it works. Next you'll be—” Remus said something but Virgil didn't understand it. “—to me and I think you'll enjoy that. I'm a reasonable duke.”

“Too bad I'm already under the care of a queen.”

“Oh, wait, no. Please tell me you aren't straight.” Remus said solemnly.

“I don't think so.”

“That's better than being straight, so I'll take it!”

“Are you not supposed to be queer here?” Virgil asked.

“Hmm? No, that's fine. Straight people are boring is all. I'd have to disown you as my best friend.”

“You're kind of weird.” Virgil said.

“Why thank you!” Remus laughed.

——

Once Virgil had accepted his situation with his guide the day went surprisingly well. Nobody talked to him besides Remus, the teachers included. The teachers did send him commiserating looks that made Virgil outraged, but Remus didn't say anything about the blatant dislike emanating from his teachers.

Virgil didn't know how to bring it up without hurting Remus in the process. He resolved to get Dee's advice and deal with it later.

“So, you look like the kind of reject who doesn't eat lunch in the cafeteria,” Remus was saying. “So you can come with me and we can eat behind the art room. There's a whole bunch of weirdos there who smoke drugs or something but they're pretty good at minding their own business!”

“Right,” Virgil replied. “Do you smoke?”

“Nah, I don't like the way it smells. I just like the way my brother freaks out when I come home smelling like it, is all.” Remus grinned, as if that was a normal thing. “Do you smoke?”

“Um, no. I think my papa would kill me.”

“Ha! My mama thinks it's funny. She gave me some for my birthday. I made some good money out of that!”

Virgil looked at Remus with a furrowed brow. “Your mama doesn't mind if you smoke?”

“I'm pretty sure she grows her own somewhere.” Remus nodded. “She sells it to the other people in her church, I think.”

“Shouldn't you be keeping that a secret?”

“Secrets are boring!” Remus announced. “Plus, no one else in the school knows Spanish at the moment so it's like we're talking in a secret code to all these losers!”

“They'd know a little Spanish, right? This school was supposed to have a strong Spanish community.” Virgil asked.

“Well, sure, I guess so.” Remus said with a shrug. “Enough to fill a classroom. Everyone else are one language kinda people. You know, the kind with small minds that leak brains out their ears.”

“I know the kind.”

Remus grinned at him. “Anyway, we were getting lunch! To the cafeteria!”

——

Virgil's papa was waiting for him after school and Virgil could not have been more grateful. Remus had waited with him for a while, but he had to catch his bus because his 'mama wouldn't come pick him up if he forgot again' and he 'didn't want to run home'. It was understandable.

“Mijo!” Papa greeted. He smiled at Virgil as he got into the car and swapped to Japanese. “How was school?”

“Papa, I've never been so happy to hear Japanese.” Virgil sighed, leaning back in the chair.

Papa laughed. “That bad, huh?”

“The guy they put me with could talk forever.”

“Your struggles are noted.” Papa said, driving away from the school. “Why don't you talk back?”

“Gross.”

——

«I think I got adopted by my guide» Virgil wrote at the dinner table. «hes very,, interesting»

“So, Virgil,” Dad said with a look in his eye that Virgil didn't like. “How was school?”

“Fine,” Virgil replied, suspiciously. “Why?”

“No reason,” he said, eating a bite of his food. “I got a phone call from the school.”

“What? Why?” Virgil asked at the same time Papa also asked why.

“They apologised for a mix-up about your classes. Apparently, you're supposed to be with the Spanish teacher for the first week or so to get used to the school and get to know which kids know Spanish, but they're all out on a camp.” Dad said with a shrug. “Then they apologised for Remus.”

“That's the guide they gave me,” Virgil confirmed. “He wasn't so bad. He did say he was the only Spanish speaker in the school right now though.”

“Still, how are you supposed to adjust to the school properly?” Papa asked. “They knew you were coming,”

Virgil shrugged.

“But you like this Remus guy, then?” Dad smiled. “The office people made it sound like he was going to turn you to delinquency.”

“He might still do that.”

His dad laughed. “I'm glad you're making friends.”

“I don't know if we're friends,” Virgil said, shifting uncomfortably.

“You'll get there,” Papa reassured.

——

«adopted? is he old or something?»

«no, hes just weird» Virgil replied after he escaped back to his room after dinner. «said we were best friends already»

«did you accept?» Dee asked.

«dont be stupid»

«I'm offended on his behalf then!»

«youre being stupid»

«you offend me, sir» Dee wrote, then washed away the rest of his words. «how was it other than my new best friend in law?»

Virgil scrubbed away his words before he replied. «hes not my best friend and best friend in laws dont exist»

«but?»

«it was fine. hes the only spanish speaker in the school tho»

«I thought this was meant to be a big spanish school?»

Virgil grinned as he let himself relax. Today had been surprisingly good, and he wondered if he was jinxing it by wishing the next day would be the same.

——

“Oh, hey you came back!” Remus called across the street in Spanish, waving his arm about and causing people to give him space.

Virgil didn’t wave back. Virgil’s dad waved out the window. Remus grinned and started jogging over.

“Don’t encourage him.” Virgil scolded his dad in Japanese.

“Aww, but he looks like such a nice boy,” Dad said.

Virgil looked at Remus and his ratty clothes and untied shoelaces.

“What part of him looks like a nice boy?” Virgil asked incredulously.

“You insult your friend, for shame.”

“Hi Mr. Virgil’s papa!” Remus said resting an arm on the top of the car and leaning his head in through the window.

“My Spanish is not so good,” Dad said in stilted Spanish. “Nice to meet you, Remus.”

Remus glanced at Virgil. Virgil snorted.

“This is my dad,” Virgil explained.

“Oh! Look at me making and ass out of myself! Hiya Dad!”

“Nice to meet you son,”

“Dad,” Virgil groaned.

“Oh, get out of my car,” Dad said in Japanese. “Love you kid.”

Virgil stuck his tongue out at him and climbed out of the car. “Have a good day.”

Dad drove off and Virgil looked at Remus with the realisation that the other hadn’t said anything in a while.

Remus looked at him with stars in his eyes. “Was that Japanese!”

“Uh, yeah?” Virgil shrugged. “I moved here from Japan?”

“That’s awesome! I just thought your accent was weird ‘cause you came from Spain for something!”

“That’s where my papa is from. So, it’s kind of both.”

“That’s awesome!” Remus said. “You gotta teach me all the swear words!”

——

“Now, this is important, raccoon eyes.”

Virgil looked up at Remus with a raised eyebrow, abandoning his schoolwork. “Really?”

“Yes.” Remus said, steepling his fingers under his head. “I’m kidnapping you.”

“Uhhh.” Virgil squinted at Remus. “Why? And is it still kidnapping if you tell your victim?”

“Absolutely! I’ll be taking you whether you agree or not, so it’s kidnapping.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll be taking you without your consent, keep up Virgey-Virge.”

Virgil lifted a finger. “First, gross. Second I meant why are you kidnapping me?”

“I was talking to my mama and she wants to meet the guy that got stuck with me.”

Virgil made a face. “I don’t want to do that. I barely know you.”

“Kidnapping~” Remus singsonged.

“Ugh.”

“She told me to tell you three days ago, but I figured you would pretend to be sick, so I called your papa and asked him for you. You’re coming over this afternoon!”

“ _What?_ “

“The excitement coming from you is delicious!”

“No, really, _what?_?” Virgil said. “How do you have my papa’s number?”

“I stole it from the office!”

“Their security is that poor?” Virgil wondered if it was too late to change schools.

“Well, no, I got it from your dad in the office, so it wasn’t really stealing, but your face was funny.”

“Nope. Go back. What do you mean Dad was in the office?”

“He was paying a fee or something,” Remus waved off. “He gave me your papa’s number because he said he didn’t want his work phone to be connected to me or something.”

“You’ve been texting my papa.”

“Yeah! I’ll get him to divorce your dad and I’ll be your new dad soon.”

Virgil groaned and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes.

——

“Oh, look at him, he’s like a dark angel.” Remus’ mama said, attempting to absorb Virgil into her breast.

Virgil mouthed ‘help me’ to Remus and promptly disowned Remus as a friend and acquaintance when he just laughed at Virgil’s expense.

“Come along little one,” she pulled Virgil along. “We’ll feed you well. Tell me about yourself!”

“Um.” Virgil looked at Remus again, who still wasn’t sympathetic to his plight. “I moved here from Japan—”

“Your accent is so cute honey!”

Virgil gave her a painful smile. “Yeah. My dad’s Japanese and my papa’s Spanish. They’re soulmates, and Papa learnt Japanese for my dad.”

“Doesn’t that just squeeze all your heart strings, Reem?” She said, waving at Remus. “My poor boy doesn’t have a soul connection.”

Virgil blinked and looked at Remus who was looking at his mother in horror.

“I was so worried it meant that the lord had forsaken him, especially because Roman—”

“Mama!” Remus snapped. He changed to English and spoke to her rapidly, gesturing around the place.

Virgil was coming to the realisation that the two of them had never had a conversation about soulmates. Virgil hadn’t ever had many friends and so had never developed the habit of asking about other people’s mates, but he knew it was a common topic to talk about. Definitely one of the things people would introduce themselves with.

Remus hadn’t looked at him. His mama was mildly annoyed and hadn’t backed down.

“Remus?” Virgil asked.

Remus went ridged. He spun around and grinned. “Yeah? Gonna call me soulless now?”

“Remus!” His mama scolded.

“Stop it Mama. Everyone says it. You just said it!”

“You aren’t soulless.” Virgil said firmly. “You didn’t have to show me around and help me understand things at school, but you do. You know?”

“You think I haven’t noticed how no one talks to you? They don’t even try.” Remus scoffed. “They think you’re tainted or something because you hang out with me.”

“I won’t have you talking bad about yourself like this.” His mama said, hitting a hand to the table.

“Mama.” Remus said flatly, which sent Virgil’s shoulders hunching you around his ears.

“Look,” Virgil said awkwardly. “You’re like the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend? I mean, I have my soulmate, but that’s not the same.”

There was silence in the kitchen.

“You mean it?” Remus said, an intense look in his eyes.

“I really do. Sorry, this is weird—”

Remus tackled him into a hug. “The first day of school I was kinda joking about you being my best friend, but you really aren’t ever going to get rid of me now.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it.” Virgil replied, hugging Remus back. He accidentally made eye contact with Remus’ mama on the way, and she was grinning wildly. Virgil wondered if maybe it was a mistake to have had this conversation in front of her.

——

«there is this guy at my school who seems to think he knows better than me.» Dee wrote. «is it my accent? Can he just not understand me?»

«that depends» Virgil replied, «are you speaking in russian? that makes a lot of difference»

«you aren’t funny, and neither is he»

«im funny what are you talking about»

«anyway»

«rude»

«so I’m saying “society is built on a lie and the only reason we aren’t all revolting is our own sense of morality” and this guy’s like “society was created for the purpose of creating boundaries to serve each other in, with set rules to make it easier to understand and comply” and I swear I almost punched him V»

«sounds like a boring conversation»

«he tried using philosophy against me»

«bite him too»

«thank you, I will»

——

“Mama says you have to eat it, or she’ll cry.” Remus said, shoving a container into Virgil’s chest.

“Fine.”

“Hello!” Someone said, popping up beside Remus, grinning at Virgil. They said more things in English and then paused.

Virgil looked at the person, their pastel blues and coke-bottle glasses, and raised an eyebrow at Remus. The kid looked between them with a slowly dimming smile.

Remus snorted. “He said ‘hello, my name’s Patton and I’m the buzz-kill nerd in the school!’”

“That’s not what he said.” Virgil shook his head, looking between Remus and Patton(?).

“Oh!” Patton(?) said and continued in awkward Spanish. “My name is Patton,”

“Nice to meet you?” Virgil replied, shifting his weight. This was the first time that anybody had talked to him and Remus since he’d arrived at the school, he was justified in being uncomfortable. It said a lot about the school when he thought about it.

“This is one of my brother’s friends. He sometimes pretends that means he’s one of mine too.” Remus said with a grin, even though his words didn’t match. “He’s super pushy.”

“Ah,” Virgil replied. “How come we haven’t met him before now?”

Remus turned to Patton and spoke English in what Virgil hoped was a direct translation of what he had said (or near abouts.) Patton replied with a cute bounce that made his hair bounce.

“He says that he’s been out for a family reunion. Something about how it conveniently matched up with when my brother was going to be away, so he stayed for the whole time. He also apologises for missing you come to the school, and oh, won’t you like to join a club or two? Won’t you like to spend your whole life stuck doing things in this school?” Remus said, his voice progressively getting more and more cheery.

“Remus. Do you need me to help you get out of this conversation?” Virgil asked, pretending to look interested and like he was asking Remus about the clubs. “Because I can fake illness in my family or something.”

“I would give my life for you.” Remus said solemnly. “Say the word, and I will die.”

“I’m saving that for later. I need it in written word.” Virgil replied, looking disappointed.

Remus turned to Patton and said English words. Patton put a hand over his mouth and gave Virgil sad eyes. Virgil attempted to look appropriately sad also. Patton grabbed at his hands and Virgil had to stop himself from pulling away from the other teen entirely. He said more words, nodded, and then walked away.

Virgil turned to Remus, who was grinning at him. “I am never helping you again.”

“Aww, but babycakes!”

“No.”

——

Virgil was becoming more and more amused by Dee’s rivalry with the guy at his school. It had progressed to a point where the two of them were stuck in «a battle of wits» according to Dee.

«I cannot stand him» Dee wrote. «he is arrogant and thinks he is the only one with access to the internet and research journals»

«and hes not doing it on purpose?» Virgil answered, going back between his homework and his leg.

«he’s a jerk, but he’s a morally upright jerk»

«glad to see your rival respects the rules»

 _!!!!!!!_ wrote the red soulmate, right underneath Virgil’s last words.

“Oh.” Virgil said faintly. “Oh no.”


End file.
